Introduction and Literature Review
Keeping employees motivated and satisfied is one of the vital aspects of the performance of any company. Achieving this type of goal requires that employees use the appropriate techniques such as work-life balance programs for the best outcomes. Through this approach, an organization can develop a productive work environment where challenges such as work-life conflict are minimal and can be mitigated effectively. Besides that, achieving the ideal work-life balance involves the sharing of benefits for both the organization and the employees. This approach is mainly concerned with assisting employees to achieve a rewarding lifestyle, thereby improving employee productivity. More so, developing the ideal work-life balance approach should be a joint activity in between the company and the employees. In fact, the program should not only be assigned to the Human Resource department, as all leaders have the role of ensuring their employees achieve the ideal work-life balance.
According to a recent study by Oludayo et al. (2018), resulting from the various changes in the workplace all through the years, the importance for balance between an employee’s life and work should be achieved. The study involved a descriptive study which used techniques such as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Regression tools. The researchers did well to come up with conclusions such as work-life balance affects the productivity of employees in many ways. More so, the study also focused on aspects such as job satisfaction and employee retention, with regard to work-life balance. The information acquired from this research will play an important role in supporting the work-life balance proposals that are in this paper.
Besides that, according to a study conducted by Beauregard and Henry (2010), achieving the ideal level of work-life balance plays a significant role in the performance of an organization. The study involved the use of a narrative review rather than a meta-analysis, to evaluate the various ways through which work-life practices and outcomes are essential for the performance of an organization. Besides that, the papers for the study were chosen based on an empirical evaluation of outcomes of work-life balance practices. The conclusions of the study showed that work-life balance practices are justified if they help to improve employee retention, to reduce conflict and to enhance the performance of the organization. They are offering the appropriate work-life balance programs will result in enhanced employee attitudes and behaviors in the organization. The information from this research is important because not only identifies the importance of work-life balance programs, but it also defines how it should be used to improve aspects such as employee retention.
A recent study by Mas-Machuca, Berbegal-Mirabent, and Alegre (2016) showed that there is a significant relationship in between organizational pride, job satisfaction with regard to work balance. The main methods used in this study included the use of questionnaires whereby, 374 responses were obtained. Following this, a structural modeling technique was then used for the data analysis procedure. The study did well to show a strong co-relation in between job satisfaction and organizational pride. This information is relevant to this research implementation because it outlines the main benefits of work balance on the performance of the employee, and its implications on the organization as a whole.
The proposed implementation plan will involve the use of both formal and informal work-life balance support measures. Keeping military personnel motivated is vital in many ways. The military personnel are the people tasked with keeping our nation safe from threats such as terrorism, violent crime and more. However, without the appropriate work-life balance culture, they cannot be able to achieve this goal effectively. Key to the success of this program is to ensure that the proposed work-life balance plan does surpass the budget allocated for the project. Some of the recommended work-life balance techniques for the military personnel include:
· Changing roles- if the current position for the military personnel is highly demanding, then the managers should consider assigning the individual to a less demanding role. For instance, military personnel who are tasked with carrying heavy artillery might be assigned the role of a driver.
· Flextime- this approach allows military personnel to maintain the full-time work schedules, without having to work in the conventional 9 to 5 schedule. The flextime approach can consist of working on a specific shift pattern each week or for longer durations on some days. This approach is particularly beneficial if the military personnel have other job roles or life obligations.
· Work Leave Program- the work leaves are ideal for military personnel, especially for those who have to spend several months infield. For this program, the leave program would be best implemented at the start of each year to avoid compromising the smooth running of the organization’s activities. The military might even consider giving paid and parental leaves, which are important techniques for keeping personnel motivated.
Method section
Participants subsection
The targeted participants for the program will primarily include military personnel. The recruitment plan will involve the process of choosing personnel from different departments in the military. For instance, they might be recruited from aspects of the military such as the navy, army, air force and more. By choosing individuals from different aspects of the military, we can be able to develop a plan that addresses the needs of all the military personnel. Besides that, the selection plan will also involve the choosing of personnel who meet the criteria for work-life balance programs. The actual invitation for each employee will involve the use of direct contact methods such as a phone call or email message.
Materials subsection
Questionnaire- the questionnaires will allow the researchers to gain useful information and on a large scale. One of the main benefits of the questionnaire is that participants do not necessarily have to share their identities. Consequently, this makes questionnaires a reliable data gathering method for the work-life balance program for the military.
Interviews- the interviews will involve face to face talks with the military personnel to gather useful information about work-life balance issues.
Measures subsection
Employee satisfaction/motivation- measuring this variable is important because it helps us to determine whether the employees are satisfied with the current work-life balance programs that are used by the company. Measuring this aspect might involve the use of specific questions in the questionnaire.
Work-life balance techniques used by the company- this is important because it allows us to develop a clear relationship in between employee satisfaction and the current work culture of the military.
Company performance- evaluating the performance of the given military department with regard to their work-life culture is essential. This allows us to gauge the current state of affairs at the company, thereby making it easy to come up with improvements for their current management approaches.
Employee productivity- the productivity level of the employee is determined by their level of satisfaction and motivation. Without the appropriate level of work balance, then the employees might not be able to meet the milestones for the military.
Procedure subsection
Steps
1. The first step will be to recruit and select the appropriate participants for the implementation plan
2. This step will involve the use of specific contact methods such as phone calls or an e-mail
3. This step will involve the use of the data collection methods to understand the work-life culture of the organization and the specific needs of the employees
4. Once the data has been collected through the data collection methods, it will be analyzed to determine the current work-life culture of the organization
5. Then, the appropriate work-life balance program will be developed to suit the needs of the organization.
Ethical considerations subsection
Some of the key ethical considerations for this project include privacy consent, confidentiality, and privacy issues as well. The privacy concept relates to the study in that some of the participants are likely to require that their opinions and perspectives about the work culture at the military are kept private. Besides that, confidentiality is also important because keeping personal information safe from illegal access is very important. These privacy issues will be addressed by ensuring that information to personal data such as employee details is restricted to specific individuals. More so, the researchers will also be held accountable for any mishandling of personal data through the use of a signed agreement.
Conclusion
In summary, keeping military personnel satisfied and motivated is crucial towards their ability to be productive with regard to their assigned roles. Various organizations today are already reaping from the benefits of achieving the ideal work-life balance. An important aspect of this proposal is to stay within the budget that is allocated for the project. For this military project, implementing a cost-effective approach is also equally important. The ideal work-life balance recommendation for the military personnel involves the use of flex times, work leave programs and changing roles.